Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Break Concept coming to Beijing Auto Show

[Update: this is the Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break Concept] - The upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLS estate, which is inspired by the classic shooting brake format, will be unveiled in concept car form at the Beijing Motor Show.

The new wagon is a modern version of the shooting brake and even as this car is billed as a concept, it is believed to be very close to the production version.

Production plans for the new car will be announced soon by Mercedes-Benz. It will have a GBP50,000 price tag and will go on sale in the UK in 2012.

This CLS estate is included in a diversification plan for the Mercedes-Benz line-up. The carmaker has prepared a range of niche cars, which are adapted from more mainstream models, intended to attract a younger set of customers.

The CLS estate isn't so much a load-hauler as it is a style icon. This car is an alternative to the BMW 5-Series GT and the upcoming Audi A7 -- that both have a conventional hatchback.

A Mercedes-Benz insider states that the traditional rules have not been followed and that instead, the established fragments are becoming fragmented.

It's obvious that the estate has similar front-end looks as the new CLS saloon; however, when you look at the B-pillar rearwards, it actually has its own individual styling.